This invention relates to laminated or reinforced graphite/epoxy primary structure and, more particularly to a composite aircraft wing attachment trunnion capable of withstanding high compression, tension, and torsional loads that heretofore laminated structures have not been capable of withstanding.
It is generally known that some low stress aircraft parts such as access doors and rudders can be designed and manufactured using fiber/metal combinations. In fact, an aircraft wing having aluminum ribs and titanium spars and having an outside skin covering made of boron fibers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,969. However, the present invention goes beyond these comparatively simple parts to provide a lightweight beam or trunnion which unlike other fiber/metal parts is capable of withstanding high multidirectional stress loads. The trunnion can be bonded directly to an aircraft's main body portion by any curable thermosetting resins such as epoxy polymers.